Woman's family held hostage in burger bar raid
A fast-food restaurant employee was ordered to empty a safe while gunmen held her partner and their daughter hostage, it emerged today.
The woman was forced to clear around £10,000 (€15,000) from a Burger King outlet in Newry, Co Down, last night.
She drove to the premises, close to the Quays shopping centre in the city, after two masked men broke into her home in the Barcroft area just after 8.30pm.
The raiders held her 18-month-old daughter and partner while they instructed her to get the contents of the safe.
Police said she then took the cash to a rendezvous at Dominic Street where a handover with another gang member was arranged.
Although police would only confirm a substantial sum of money was involved, sources disclosed that it was at least £10,000.
No-one was injured during the hostage ordeal and detectives have launched a major hunt for the thieves.
